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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Taking Back An Old Client W/A Not So Great Family?
newtodaycare22 10:14 AM 07-19-2012
Have you done this before? I've done it in the past when a family lost their job and left....then returned a few months later.

This time, I had a dcg leave back in March. She gave me the required 2 weeks notice and she left on good terms, saying she simply couldn't afford me anymore. She was a sweet dcg and she needs to be in a preschool environment (she's 4), but mom put her in a cheaper place with all little ones.

Now, I don't miss the parents. They were slightly bipolar. Sometimes perfectly pleasant, other times I'd dread having to even see them at drop/off pick up. I had some problems with late payment and no call/no shows that messed up my meals. Shortly before she left, I put her on probation regarding all of those items and mom got her act together. For a month I had no problems...then she gave notice because of finances (which explains the late payment part).

Well, she wants her to come back now. She said finances have eased up and she wants her back in a learning environment. The girl already knows our routine, takes good naps, is generally well behaved-I do miss her. But the family-eh. Not so much. lol I'm weighing the annoyance of retraining another child against this though, because I do have someone else who wants the spot. A younger, 'just potty trained' kid (my kids are potty trained 2-5 year olds).

What would you do? Focus more on the kid and take her back? Or opt for a better family? In a perfect world I could have both
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lil angels 10:19 AM 07-19-2012
I think I would go for the younger one. You know most likely they will be around longer Nd not leaving for school in a yr. and you already know all the prob you had before so if you can fill with someone else I would. Plus a two yr old doesn't take that long to get into routine.

I have taken kids back before to and some turned out ok and one not so much. It's a tough choice.
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Truly Scrumptious 10:19 AM 07-19-2012
I would hold out for a better family.
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countrymom 10:23 AM 07-19-2012
the problems going to be is that the child is ready to go to school, then you'll only have her for a bit. I would hold out for a younger child.
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newtodaycare22 10:28 AM 07-19-2012
Well, because I only take preschoolers, I'm used to the high turn over rate. I generally lose 2 or 3 of my kids to kindergarten every year. I'm not surprised by it, and I generally have the spots filled by January or February. So I'm not really worried about that part.
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Live and Learn 10:28 AM 07-19-2012
I say take the younger child. Like others said the four year old will be going off to kindy soon and likely as not the parents issues have not magically disappeared. I say have a fresh start with a new family.
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bgmeyers 01:36 PM 07-19-2012
I'd go with the family that has the younger child. Thinking long term, the older would be leaving you soon anyway. Take the little one.
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newtodaycare22 11:15 AM 07-20-2012
Thanks everyone. I met with a new family last night and the parents were great....which reminded me how much I didn't like the other dcm. I'm not going to torture myself
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Crazy8 07:35 PM 07-20-2012
Originally Posted by newtodaycare22:
Thanks everyone. I met with a new family last night and the parents were great....which reminded me how much I didn't like the other dcm. I'm not going to torture myself
Glad it worked out!! I would absolutely take the new family!! I am in the same boat now, family wants to come back - when they left I said it would never be worth the money to take them back but now here I am desperate for kids and I'm considering it even though I know after a few weeks of them coming back I will be pulling my hair out again!!!!
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newtodaycare22 10:18 AM 07-23-2012
Originally Posted by Crazy8:
Glad it worked out!! I would absolutely take the new family!! I am in the same boat now, family wants to come back - when they left I said it would never be worth the money to take them back but now here I am desperate for kids and I'm considering it even though I know after a few weeks of them coming back I will be pulling my hair out again!!!!
I hope another good family pops up for you too!!
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MaritimeMummy 06:17 AM 07-24-2012
The "returning" child is 4. You're not going to have her much longer before she leaves to start school. I'd say that you have someone else interested in the spot and that if things don't work out that you'd love to have her. You don't owe them any sort of explanation.
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